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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467254">stuck</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeetle/pseuds/beeetle'>beeetle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Preludes [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:47:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeetle/pseuds/beeetle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>stuck - the aces, charmeleon, modern au</p><p>"it's overdue, make your move"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ilia Amitola/Yang Xiao Long</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Preludes [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>stuck</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>heya folks! for those who have read my writing before, this fic might sound familiar. that's because I've decided to take all of the fics from my story 'preludes' and post them individually and make them into a series for easier navigation.<br/>thank you so much for reading! please leave kudos and comment, it really helps motivate me to do more writing, and have a lovely day! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was official: Yang was no longer the most useless lesbian in Vale. It was a title she never should have had in the first place, considering Weiss resembled a beetroot every time a pretty girl breathed in her direction. But no, that title went to Ilia Amitola.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Local barista, chameleon Faunus with the cutest freckles (and butt) that Yang had seen in all her years of living. Yang visited the coffee shop every morning for almost a year now, grabbing a mocha to go and gaining her caffiene fix for the day ahead at the local mechanics. Recently,  she had started swinging by on a Friday afternoon and picking up a bag of cookies. Early knock offs meant she could pick Ruby up from university and take her to the arcade, and seeing Ruby light up at receiving cookies made her week.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Friday visits were how she met Ilia. Yang had come to know Blake and Sun, enjoying witty banter and bad puns with the pair as they made her daily coffee. Blake mentioned a while back that her friend Ilia would start working there soon, but only on the afternoon shifts. Nevertheless, Yang mentioned her excitement to meet her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Months had passed since then, and the routine was the same each and every Friday. Pull up at the coffee shop still slightly covered in grease, wave to either Blake or Sun (depending who was rostered on) as they made her coffee, and watch Ilia stare at her from behind the counter.  Wink at Ilia, watch her turn red. Use a dumb pick up line that somehow worked, collect her order and tell Ilia “I'll see ya around~”.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>On one particular Friday, she had broken the routine. Instead of using a dumb pick up line, she had pulled out a pen and a sticky note, writing her digits and leaving it on the counter for Ilia. She knew that Ilia had gotten it, Blake had told her the story the following Monday of how that close went. Ilia had been tinted pink for the rest of the shift and had texted Blake for advice for what to say until her phone had died. Yet Yang never got a text.</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yang tried not to let it affect her; she could easily go to a gay club and pick up some girl to restore her ego. But for some reason, it was getting to her. Was there something she wasn't seeing? Yang knew she was gay, the chameleon had a little pride flag pin on her apron and the blonde had pointed out the pride sticker on her motorbike helmet after spotting it. In Yang's eyes, it was a less subtle and more polite way of saying hello you glorious gay, it is I! A fellow gay! Come listen to Hayley Kiyoko with me!</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Blake would have said something if Ilia was taken, or at least not looking for anything. When Yang had initially flirted with the feline, she explained she had just been through a nasty break up and was working on herself, and the blonde had immediately laid off. But if Ilia was single, gay, and as far as Yang knew, into her, why hadn't things gone anywhere? Yang was stuck.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When the next Friday rolled around, Yang decided to break the routine and take things into her own hands. When she entered the coffee shop, Ilia stood at the counter and Blake behind the coffee machine. Sending a smile and a wave to Blake,  Yang turned her sights to the chameleon. But this time, no pick up lines, no outrageous flirting or innuendos, just honesty.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” Yang offered with a smile. Ilia seemed to be caught off guard by this change of routine but quickky offered a shy smile in return.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” she replied. “The usual?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes please,” the blonde hummed, digging through her pockets for the correct amount before handing it over. Their hands brushed accidentally but Ilia didn't jump like she usually did. Entering the order into the till, Blake told the chameleon that she'd prepare the order, sending Yang a playful wink. Ilia still stood at the counter, a shy smile on her kjps and freckles tinted a light red, her hands hidden in the pockets of her apron.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“O-Off to the arcade?” Ilia asked, looking up to meet the blonde's eyes. Yang offered her an easy smike and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep, usual Friday night,” she chuckled. Just say something ya wimp , she thought. Yang's hand came to rub the back of her neck, noting the tension that lay there. “You never texted,” she mumbled sheepishly.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ilia's eyes widened a little, looking away in embarrassment? Shyness? Nervousness?</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah, I uh-” the chameleon started, swallowing before continuing. “I honestly thought you were fucking with me, so I wasn't if you even gave me the right number.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Well that definitely wasn't what Yang had expected.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait really?” Yang asked softly. “You thought I was joking?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ilia nodded in response, shrugging a little. “Honestly yeah. I'm not used to people flirting with me and you're so far out of my league it's not funny. Plus anxiety is a bitch.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yang stood corrected; apparently she was still the most useless lesbian in Vale.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I...I am so sorry,” she said eventually. Fishing through her pockets, she found a pen and a loose scrap of paper, furiously writing her number before looking up at Ilia. “Sorry I didn't make this clear last time, I'll try again.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that, Yang held out the note, smiling lightly as Ilia took it. “I genuinely think you're a cool person, plus you're really freaking cute,” Yang started, her cheeks tinted pink as she heard Ilia laugh slightly. “And if you would like to, I'd really like to get to know you more, and maybe take you on a date somewhere?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Before Ilia could reply, Blake shoved a bag of cookies and a takeaway cup into Yang's hands. “You're going to be late picking Ruby up,” the feline told her. Yang frowned, checking the clock inside the shop.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, thanks Blake! Bye Ilia!” Yang called, sprinting out of the shop and towards her bike. Stowing her goodies in her bike's saddlebag, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Fishing for it, the message on her screen made her grin.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>[Message from unknown number:]</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>[sorry it's a bit overdue. im free tomorrow night, do you like Mistrali food? there's a new place downtown that looks good]</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Cheeks pink and smile wide,  she quickly typed a response before slipping on her helmet, starting her bike and racing towards the university.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>[love it. i'll pick you up 6 2morrow night.]</span>
</p>
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